Early Years Strategy Lead
7 days ago
Chichester
Early Years Strategy Lead (Interim) Fixed-Term Assignment | Flexible Working Chichester Competitive Salary Are you an experienced early years leader with a strong commercial mindset? I’m looking for a strategic consultant to help unlock growth, strengthen workforce capacity, and build a sustainable future across three nursery settings. The Role You’ll work closely with senior leadership to tackle one of the biggest challenges in early years provision: staffing and capacity. Despite strong demand and full registration capacity, current staffing levels are limiting occupancy to around 50–60%. One rural setting faces additional recruitment challenges—creating a unique and impactful brief. This is a high-impact, short-term assignment where your expertise will directly shape future growth and sustainability. What You’ll Deliver • A full diagnostic review of staffing, deployment, and workforce capacity, • A targeted recruitment plan for a hard-to-staff rural nursery, • A costed 3-year workforce and capacity strategy across all settings, • Practical recommendations to improve:, • Staffing models, • Leadership capacity, • Recruitment and retention, • Reviewing current staffing structures, ratios, and leadership capacity, • Analysing how staffing impacts occupancy and financial performance, • Identifying barriers to recruitment and retention (including rural challenges), • Designing innovative, realistic recruitment solutions, such as:, • Flexible working models, • Apprenticeships and “grow your own” pathways, • Employer branding and attraction strategies, • Significant senior leadership experience in early years education, • Proven success in: Commercial nursery operations and Workforce planning and scaling capacity, • Strong knowledge of: EYFS statutory framework | Ofsted requirements | Staffing ratios and operational delivery, • Multi-site nursery leadership, • Financial or commercial planning expertise